


Sweetness Follows

by Synekdokee



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, M/M, comes with art, raleigh is sick, vacation fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-16 01:11:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3468875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synekdokee/pseuds/Synekdokee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Tara, who deserves something nice <3</p>
    </blockquote>





	Sweetness Follows

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ill_burn_that_bridge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ill_burn_that_bridge/gifts).



> For Tara, who deserves something nice <3

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday. Sunny beaches and hiking in the Australian nature. Hours spent lying in the hot sun, evenings getting drunk on real beer and tumbling into the lush hotel bed. Chuck had been looking forward to going back home and showing Raleigh the places he grew up in – Raleigh had been disproportionately excited about getting to see real koalas. Chuck was going to teach Raleigh how to surf, eager to see him in nothing but shorts, wet and golden in the sun.

 

There was a miserable sniffle from the bedroom. Chuck sighed and put a healthy dollop of honey in the mug of tea and grabbed the tray, padding back to the bedroom.

Raleigh was bundled up under the covers, only a tuft of blond hair peeking out against the pillow. Chuck sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the blankets down a little, baring Raleigh’s flushed face. His nose was pink, the skin peeling a little from being rubbed by paper tissues.

“You hungry?” Chuck asked gently, laying his palm flat on Raleigh’s hot forehead. He only got a miserable whine in reply. Chuck sighed. He reached an arm under Raleigh, tugging him up so he was leaning on the pillows.

“My head feels like it’ll explode,” Raleigh croaked, voice rough and congested. His hand fumbled for Chuck’s, squeezing it weakly.

“Yeah, you’re burning up. Just your luck to come down with the plague on vacation,” Chuck frowned.

“’s not the plague. I’ll be up in no time,” Raleigh said stubbornly. The effect was ruined by a sneeze that shook the whole bed.

Chuck snorted, handing him the tea and some ibuprofen. “You think you’re so cute when you’re stubborn,” Chuck said dryly. Raleigh glared at him.

“Says the guy who denied having pneumonia before passing out in the cafeteria.”

“That was different. Hansens don’t get sick,” Chuck said defensively. Raleigh rolled his eyes at him, dutifully sipping his tea. “Sorry I ruined your getaway,” he said, eyes downcast.

Chuck shrugged. “We can always come again later. Sorry you didn’t get to see the koalas.”

Raleigh grinned at him.

“Don’t,” Chuck warned him, too late.

“Got my own koala right here,” Raleigh smirked, ruffling Chuck’s hair. Chuck jerked back, smoothing his hair down.

“You’re so annoying. Can’t you just pass away in silence,” he said sulkily, but he softened his words by tucking Raleigh’s blankets tighter around him. Raleigh gave him a soft smile.

“You’d be gutted, you liar.”

Chuck huffed. “Maybe. Only because the sex is great,” he said evasively. “Turn over, I’ll lotion up your back before you start shedding.”

Raleigh laughed and rolled onto his belly, pillowing his head on his arms. Chuck tugged the covers down to Raleigh’s waist. He couldn’t help but admire the play of muscles on Raleigh’s broad back, the tanned skin so inviting. He sighed. What a waste of a vacation. He grabbed the bottle of moisturiser and poured a bit on Raleigh’s back. Raleigh shivered, letting out a soft grunt.

“It’s cold,” he complained. Chuck spread the lotion with his hands, making sure to knead firmly. He knew how fast Raleigh seized up when he couldn’t keep active.

“Well, I’m sorry I didn’t pre-heat the lotion for you, you big baby,” Chuck huffed, moving to Raleigh’s lower back. There was a soft, muffled groan, and Chuck smiled. “That good?”

“Uhhuh,” Raleigh said a little breathily. It wasn’t arousal, it was the bliss Raleigh got from good food, and those really expensive chocolates Mako always brought him. Chuck knew the difference, and he was pleased every time he could get either sound out of Raleigh.

He rubbed the excess lotion on his own hands, and rested down alongside Raleigh, kissing his shoulder blade. “Better?”

Raleigh nodded, eyes closed and lips parted softly. His breathing sounded a little stuffy in an endearing way. His lashes fanned his pink cheeks, and Chuck felt a sudden clench in his chest at how vulnerable Raleigh looked like this.

“You wanna nap some more?” He asked, chin resting lightly on Raleigh’s shoulder.

“You tryin’ to shut me up?” Raleigh asked playfully, one eye cracking open.

“Maybe,” Chuck said defiantly. “Maybe I want to go down to the beach and not have to suffer through you trying to stay upright on a surf board.”

“I see right through you, cranky-pants,” Raleigh grinned, looking at Chuck over his shoulder. “You want to nurse me back to health.”

“Lies. I don’t want to get yelled at by Herc for neglecting you,” he said defensively.

Raleigh laughed, and then it turned into a hacking cough as he struggled to turn to his back. Chuck made a disapproving sound and handed him the tea again. “Gotta know your limits, Becket,” Chuck said sternly, sitting up. Raleigh gave him a glare over the edge of the mug, expression smoothing out as he drank the warm tea.

“Admit it,” Raleigh wheezed, still catching his breath. “You love taking care of me.”

Chuck felt his face heat up and he avoided Raleigh’s eyes. “Bullshit. I just don’t want you to die or anything,” he muttered. Raleigh laughed, that stupid honking sound Chuck secretly loved.

“Come here,” Raleigh coaxed, patting the covers. Chuck gave a put-upon sigh, but lifted the blankets and crawled in next to Raleigh. He sat back against the pillows and tucked Raleigh into the crook of his arm.

“You want me to read?”

Raleigh hummed, reaching for the grilled sandwich the room service had delivered. “Just not about the hobbits again. I’ll go crazy if I have to listen to more descriptions about foliage.”

Chuck pinched him gently. “You’re such a fucking philistine,” he said.

“No, but I do have a short attention span,” Raleigh mumbled around a mouthful of bread.

“Like a puppy,” Chuck muttered, but picked another book from the bedside table. “The food okay?”

Raleigh made a face. “Honestly I don’t know. I can’t taste anything.”

Chuck laughed. “Poor you. Your greatest pleasure in life, deprived from you.”

Raleigh pressed his palm flat on Chuck’s lower belly. “Not my greatest pleasure,” he said, leering. Chuck gave him an unimpressed look.

“If you think I’m letting you get frisky with me while you’re half-dead with the bug of the century, you’re off your rocker,” he drawled. Raleigh scrunched his nose, hand falling away from Chuck’s stomach.

“Don’t worry, we’ll catch up when you’re better,” Chuck softened the rejection. “Maybe we’ll even give the mile high club a go.”

Raleigh gave a delighted gasp. “But you said there’s no way you-“

“The things we do for our loved ones,” Chuck said loudly, trying to pretend he wasn’t blushing as he fumbled the book open.

“Oh, honey,” Raleigh smirked, leaning in to nuzzle the sensitive skin on Chuck’s neck. Chuck squirmed, embarrassed, and secretly pleased.

“Just let me read,” he grumbled, but he could see Raleigh’s wide grin from the corner of his eye.

“The stage is yours,” Raleigh said, munching on his sandwich. Chuck tightened his arm around Raleigh, hand resting on the curve of his hip.

Chuck pressed a kiss to the crown of Raleigh’s hair, and begun to read.

“ _It was a nice day_ ,” Chuck read, voice low and even.

“ _All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn't been invented yet. But clouds massing east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on its way, and it was going to be a big one_.”

Chuck felt a flutter of lashes against his chest, and Raleigh’s breath puffed warmly on his skin. He paused and glanced down, and Raleigh shifted against him.

“Don’t stop,” Raleigh mumbled softly, nuzzling closer.

Chuck had never been good at saying no to Raleigh anyway.

  


 


End file.
